BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Previously it was demonstrated that digitalis-like cardiotonic steroid, marinobufagenin (MBG), is implicated in the development of ethanol addiction in rats. We hypothesized that (i) levels of sodium pump ligand, MBG, would be negatively correlated with amount of ethanol consumed by rats, and (ii) that spironolactone would oppose the MBG induced ethanol-seeking behavior and blood pressure in rats. METHODS: Voluntary consumption of 9% alcohol (vs...

OBJECTIVES: Plasma renin activity (PRA) and aldosterone tend to differ between Blacks and Caucasians and studies are very scarce among Africans. We therefore aimed to determine the normative value of plasma renin activity and serum aldosterone among school teachers in Nigeria with normal blood pressure compared with their hypertensive counterparts and relevant clinical/demographic associations. METHODS: Plasma renin activity and serum aldosterone were measured using the kits provided by Diagnostic Biochem, Canada among randomly selected school teachers recruited as part of a study to assess their total cardiovascular risks...

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a common health problem concerning a large proportion of population and a leading global risk factor for the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of the erythrocyte zeta potential as a potential additional indicator for cardiovascular disorder risk so that patients with this can be more rapidly identified and treated. METHODS: In the present study, blood samples were collected in 5% dextrose solution from patients suffering from hypertension and healthy volunteers (Not taken any medication)...

BACKGROUND: Renal artery stenosis (RAS) has a high prevalence in older patients, especially in the context of general atherosclerosis. It is frequently associated with resistant hypertension and impaired renal function and their attendant consequences. The issue whether revascularization via percutaneous renal angioplasty and stenting (PRA/S) can benefit these patients remains unsettled. OBJECTIVE: To present a case series of patients with refractory hypertension and RAS undergoing PRA/S and also to provide an extensive review of the literature on the current status of PRA/S for resistant hypertension...

Vascular assessment is becoming increasingly important in the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases. In particular, clinical assessment of arterial stiffness, as measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV), is gaining increased interest due to the recognition of PWV as an influential factor on the prognosis of hypertension as well as being an independent predictor of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Whilst age and blood pressure are established as the two major determinants of PWV, the influence of heart rate on PWV measurements remains controversial with conflicting results being observed in both acute and epidemiological studies...

BACKGROUND: Ambulatory Arterial Stiffness Index (AASI) has been proposed as an indirect and simpler method to estimate the Arterial Stiffness (AS). AASI, calculated from a set of data collected during a 24-hours ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), is defined as 1 minus the regression slope of diastolic on systolic blood pressure (BP) values. For a given increase in diastolic BP, the increase in systolic BP is smaller in a compliant compared to a stiff artery; the stiffer the arterial tree, the closer AASI is to 1...

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a major cause of secondary hypertension. Moreover, a considerable proportion of patients with essential hypertension have OSA. OSA also appears to increase the risk for cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment substantially reduces daytime somnolence and improves quality of life in patients with OSA. However, the effects of CPAP treatment on blood pressure (BP) are questionable. The aim of the present review is to summarize the evidence regarding the association between OSA with hypertension and the effects of CPAP treatment on BP in patients with OSA...

Hypertensive disorders (preeclampsia, eclampsia gestational hypertension, and chronic hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia) are common complications of pregnancy [1]. Women with chronic hypertension and gestational hypertension are at increased risk of preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a multi-system disorder with a global prevalence of 3-5% [2] that may lead to significant maternal or fetal morbidity and even mortality. The cornerstone of management of all hypertensive disorders in pregnancy is close monitoring of blood pressure (BP) and/or end organ damage and delivery planning in select patients [3]...

BACKGROUND: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) commonly results in end-stage renal disease (ESRD), yet a long-term treatment that is well tolerated is still lacking. In a small randomized trial in children and adolescents pravastatin administration for 3 years was associated with reduced renal cyst growth, but no large trial has tested the effect of statins in adults. METHODS: We performed a post-hoc analysis of the HALT PKD trials to compare outcomes of participants who never used statins with those who used statin for at least 3 years...

Early vascular aging is a process associated with gradual alterations in the vessels, regarding to their structure and function, taking a more rapid course than normal biological aging in the arteries. In the presence of cardiovascular disease, these age-associated alterations are accelerated, contributing for the appearance or the progression of cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, smoking and diabetes. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is the most abundant and important endothelin produced by vascular cells...

It is becoming increasingly clear that both microvascular network alterations and subsequent tissue perfusion defects may precede and predict the development of arterial hypertension and other cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, including diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Moreover, the subsequent functional and structural alterations in microvascular reactivity and density, as well as alterations in the macrocirculation characteristic of physiologic vascular aging, contribute to the development of target organ damage...

BACKGROUND: An alerting reaction is a physician-induced phenomenon which produces a transient blood pressure rise in the office. OBJECTIVE: To determine its relationship with target organ damage in treated hypertensives. METHOD: We used three different indexes for calculating alerting reaction depending on the first, second or third office blood pressure measurement. We correlated these indexes with glomerular filtration rate, left ventricular mass index and pulse wave velocity...

Most populations around the world consume less than the recommended levels of potassium. Long term low potassium intake could lead to decreased plasma potassium levels and induce hypokalemia. The increasing of plasma potassium levels 0,2-0,4 mmol/L by improving potassium intake decreased significantly blood pressure (BP). Assessing plasma potassium levels in healthy people related to potassium intake have not been studied. In this study, we analysed plasma potassium levels in prehypertension (PHT) subjects and to evaluate the effect of tender coconut water (TCW) as a high potassium drink on plasma potassium levels in PHT adults...

BACKGROUND: Depression is highly prevalent in End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and is the most common psychiatric disorder in this population. Depression is associated with a lack of adherence to hemodialysis (HD) treatment regimens and increased morbidity and mortality. METHODS: A descriptive secondary correlational analysis of 118 patients on chronic HD was conducted to determine the prevalence of depression and its relationship to adherence to blood pressure (BP) regimens (fluid adherence, HD and BP medication adherence)...

Hypertension and aging are characterized by vascular remodelling and stiffness as well as endothelial dysfunction. Endothelial function declines with age, since aging is associated with senescence of the endothelium due to increased rate of apoptosis and reduced regenerative capacity of the endothelium. Different phenotypes of hypertension have been described in younger and adult subjects with hypertension. In younger patients, functional and structural alterations of resistance arteries occur as the earliest vascular alterations which have prognostic significance and may contribute to stiffness of large arteries through wave reflection...

Arterial stiffness has been accumulating evidence as an intermediate cardiovascular endpoint. It has been established as an independent risk marker for cardiovascular disease, and reflects the dissociation between chronologic and biologic age of large arteries-attributing earlier the risk that a normal vascular ageing process had installed to occur several years later. The concept of Early Vascular Ageing (EVA) is developed to establish primordial prevention, identifying individuals whose ageing path has been accelerated either by inherent features, interaction with the environment or arterial exposure to several types of insults that evolve to medial layer morphological changes...

Aortic stenosis (AS) has an increasing prevalence with age and is commonly associated with hypertension. While it has been established that hypertension is associated with increased mortality in patients with AS, further randomized control trials addressing the use of antihypertensives specifically in patients with AS are needed. The management of hypertension in patients with AS needs a cautious approach due to complex hemodynamic and structural changes involved. Comorbidities like coronary artery disease, heart failure and arrhythmias further dictate management of hypertension in patients with AS...